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There should be fewer secrets about educators accused of wrongdoing, the State Board of
Education agreed yesterday.

The board discussed 10 suggestions aimed at tightening the state's teacher- discipline system to
ensure that accused educators are fully investigated and punished appropriately. All would be on
top of new measures included in legislation approved by Ohio lawmakers last week.

The board hopes to vote today on recommendations after Ohio Department of Education officials
tweak their original suggestions. Many would remove some of the mystery about why educators were
disciplined and shine a light on those who are arrested.

Among the ideas:

• The department should provide the reason for teacher discipline, even when it's based on a
sealed conviction. Now, in cases where the department punishes an educator based on an expunged
conviction, the reason must be kept secret.

• Schools would be forced to take teachers accused of serious offenses out of their classrooms
until an investigation is finished.

• Children-services agencies should tell the state when an educator is suspected of abusing his
or her own children. The department wants to be told even when claims are unsubstantiated, because
they might involve unprofessional conduct.

The discussion was prompted by the findings of a 10-month
Dispatch investigation, "The ABCs of Betrayal," which was published in
mid-October.

Most of yesterday's discussion centered on the department's suggestion that when educators are
arrested, they should notify police that they hold a teaching license.

"I question how practical it is," said Robin C. Hovis, a member-at-large from Millersburg. "Such
a requirement assumes that you're dealing with an honest person."

Virgil E. Brown Jr., an elected member from Cleveland Heights, argued that it's probably not
legal to force anyone to make a statement to police.

Members agreed that educators should at least be forced to tell their employers about their
arrests. Charles See, the department's deputy chief of staff, said he will bring amended
suggestions to the board today.

Ohio lawmakers recently passed a bill that requires the department to create a code of conduct
for educators. It also told the board to spell out specific punishments for types of wrongdoing.
Officials said they hope to bring punishment guidelines to next month's meeting.